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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22695670">Right Out of Some Corny Romance Novel</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/slotumn/pseuds/slotumn'>slotumn</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Dorks in Love, Established Relationship, F/M, Family, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Fluff, Idiots in Love, In-Laws, Storytelling, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, no beta we die like Glenn</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 10:48:31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,297</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22695670</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/slotumn/pseuds/slotumn</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Between travels, Claude and Lysithea drop by to visit their families back home and hear some stories about their parents.</p><p>A.K.A. How I Met Your Mother/Father, Fódlan Edition</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Lysithea von Ordelia/Claude von Riegan</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Right Out of Some Corny Romance Novel</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"How we got married? Well, I was bethrothed to her since birth."</p><p>"Yes, arranged marriage."</p><p>He barely got to talk to her parents the last two times he visited the now-former Ordelia territory. </p><p>They were awfully (and rightfully) worried when he showed up and took off with their daughter across the sea-- so he wouldn't have been surprised if they were a little hostile to him when the two of them showed up months later on a quick visit between their travels, but they were surprisingly warm and welcoming-- grateful, even. Probably because their darling pride and joy, a.k.a. Lysithea, looked healthy and happy now.</p><p>And they weren't technically married yet (he would have to find the right way to propose again), but all in all, the warm laughs and tea as well as the sweet cakes her family served up made it feel very much like a visit with the in-laws.</p><p>Then somewhere along the way of telling her parents all about their adventures together, he had to wonder how (former) Count Yves von Ordelia and (former) Countess Ada von Ordelia met, and that, apparently, was the answer</p><p>"Hm...if you don't mind me being a little bit intrusive, what I meant was, how you fell in love, as the two of you two seem quite affectionate."</p><p>Lysithea poked his side with her elbow, presumably as a warning. </p><p>"Well, that's not something that happens in just one day," said her father, with a nostalgic smile, "but we have a story about how it began, at least on her side."</p><p>The older lady nodded, while Lysithea sighed. </p><p>"Look what you've done, Claude, now she's going to tell that whole thing again."</p><p>"Might be again to you, but it's first for me!"</p><p>"...Better saddle up, then."</p><p>---</p><p>When I first met Yves, he was not only younger, but also weaker and meeker than I was. In turn, he was apparently scared of me, because he looked like he was going to cry throughout the whole meeting. </p><p>And although I knew I would get married to him one day, I was too young to have much thoughts about it, so I shelved him as Crybaby Pansy Boy in my head. </p><p>We got several chances to meet each other through the years, and my opinion of him...didn't change much. Once, when he was around ten, I believe, he suddenly gave me a flower and tried to imitate gentlemanly courting rituals out of nowhere, so I asked if someone instructed him to do that. I knew I was correct because he cried and ran away. </p><p>("Ouch, that's rough," Claude commented.)</p><p>Anyhow, a few years later, our parents arranged us to enter Officer's Academy at the same time. </p><p>He was quite the pretty boy by then, and less of a crybaby, but I was a late bloomer when it came to things like romance-- just like you, Lysithea, it runs in the family-- so I don't think I particularly cared that many other girls fawned over him, at least at first. </p><p>He kept following me around like a puppy, though, and I let him, especially during the rare field assignments. Yves wasn't good with weapons, and often got close to knocked out with a single blow, so I decided I was at least a little bit obligated to protect him. He turned out to be quite a competent mage, however, and we made a good duo, even though I never told him that out loud back then. I cut the enemies down up close, he would assist me by blasting lightning at them from afar. </p><p>We didn't speak much outside of battle at that point, though. Or rather, he spoke to me, and I only gave short replies back. Most of it was one-sided conversations, and I had no clue as to why he kept trying to hold it. </p><p>But things started changing between us, however slightly, right around...White Heron Cup. I was selected to be the representative for Golden Deer, for some reason, and he offered to be my partner for dance practice.</p><p>He was a great dancer-- had absolutely artful form and footwork. It's a shame that only girls were allowed to compete back then, because if he was the candidate, our house would have won with flying colors. And I would have gotten to see him in the dancer outfit, although I wouldn't realize the potential benefits of the visual aspect until much later.</p><p>(Yves swooned while his daughter tried very hard to keep herself from contorting into a knot.)</p><p>He made a very kind coach, too, if not particularly effective. Even when I made mistakes or was a little stiff, he told me it was charming and "cute" instead of trying to fix it. Looking back, that was flirting, but I didn't catch on-- aside from thinking that I didn't mind spending time with him, even though we were definitely going to lose the cup. </p><p>Later that month, at the ball, he got plenty of requests for a dance, but he insisted on only staying by my side, saying he didn't want to be "unfaithful." I told him I didn't mind, a dance didn't mean anything-- but he actually seemed disappointed to hear the second part. Again, I was still too dense to figure out why. </p><p>We even snuck out and went to the Goddess Tower afterwards, and when he told me about the legend, I replied that we didn't really need to wish for anything since we'd get married and be together forever anyway. </p><p>He got pretty red hearing that line, though, so I suppose my accidental flirting was a success.</p><p>At any rate, seeing him dance made me realize that there were, in fact, things I could learn from this puppy boy, so I began talking to him more-- and he gladly told me all he had to know, whether that was about magic, dance, history, or the history of House Ordelia. I learned to use Soulblade and Hexblade thanks to him, too. Never became a magic-sword dual wielder like some of my teachers suggested I could be, but close enough.</p><p>On that note, I'm impressed at how well you wield swords now, Lysithea. You truly are my daughter. I still remember when I tried to teach you the basics, and you melted the training sword out of frustration while throwing a big tantrum with snot and tears flying everywhere like it was yesterd-- ("Please just get on with the story!!")</p><p>She usually likes being praised. I think she's embarassed because she's in front of you, Claude. ("Am not!!")</p><p>Well, well, sure, back to the story, then. As we got closer, he started asking me a lot of questions, too. Such as what flowers I liked, what traits I looked for in men, or how many kids I thought was ideal for a family to have. My answer to them was: lilies, I thought highly of people who had a strong sense of responsibility and protected what they loved regardless of gender, and that it depended on various factors, but that I saw a lot of nobles around me have about five or six kids no problem.</p><p>...Now, I realize that the final decision is up to you two, but anything more than two or three kids might be pretty difficult to handle if you're going to settle down in Morfis, long ways from both your families-- ("I promise I won't call this story cheesy again, so please stop getting sidetracked!!!") no, really, this is an important matter, and it's good to think ahead of time. Remind me to give you that book on family planning later. </p><p>Yes, so, Yves took the opportunity to ask me many questions, and he actually had a special notebook he wrote down all my answers in. ("You know I still have it, dear.") I know. I used to think he was being rather excessive, but in the end, I believe it was that exact attentiveness that made our relationship successful.</p><p>A couple months later, our class got an assignment to take down some demonic beasts and bandits roaming nearby. I thought he would stick next to me, as usual, but the teacher told us we'd be fighting on opposite sides of the battlefield this time. I tried to convince her to change the arrangement, because Goddess knows that boy was going to get pummeled if he fought by himself, but she refused. </p><p>He told me he would be fine, of course, but I couldn't help feeling antsy. It followed me into the battlefield, and as much as I didn't want to admit it, something felt off without him by my side-- I slipped up and missed more than usual. It was still an above-average performance, but the enemies were above-average threats as well, and I got tired and battered faster than usual. On top of that, there was fog everywhere, so we couldn't see enemies until they got too close. </p><p>I swore every threat I cut down had to be the last one, but they just kept coming, and eventually I had to face a bandit that got away from another one of our classmates. I probably could have ended him if I went ahead and used Hexblade, but that would have knocked me straight out as well. </p><p>But right as I was weighing my options and feeling regretful about not nagging the teacher into letting him stick with me as usual, Yves showed up and struck down the bandit in one hit with Thoron.</p><p>I still remember the exact words he said while he did that: "It's okay, Ada, I'm here for you now!"</p><p>And as a principle, the battlefield is no place to get distracted by the attractiveness of others-- but at that moment, the boy I used to think only as a crybaby and a puppy was suddenly the most beautiful and gallant man I'd ever seen. The resolve in his eyes and the electricity sparking from his hands was nothing short of breathtaking.</p><p>(The former count put a hand over his mouth with a touched expression, while Claude laughed and Lysithea looked away.)</p><p>...The moment didn't last, though, because a beast appeared behind him and knocked him out in a single hit. Somehow it missed me, and I stayed conscious until the end, but Yves had to be rushed off the battlefield right away.</p><p>After we got back to Garreg Mach, I waited by his side at the infirmary. I had my share of injuries as well, but he looked even worse because of the beast's poison. The nurse told me it would get better after a good rest, and I also knew that in my head-- yet the uneasiness in my heart didn't go away so easily.</p><p>Now, like Yves said earlier, falling in love wasn't something that happened in one moment, but, that right there, was the point when I realized that I had come to care for him, and didn't want him to leave me. </p><p>So I whispered something like, "You better not die on me, kid, I don't plan on finding a new fiancé anytime soon," thinking he couldn't hear it. </p><p> To my surprise, he reached a hand out from the bed and replied, "I won't, I still want more dances with you."</p><p>Being very dry young woman, crying over a boy was something I'd always dismissed as a rather unnecessary affair back then-- but there, I couldn't help shedding a few tears as I held his hand and prayed what he said would come true. </p><p>---</p><p>"...And as you know, it did," Ada reminisced, a light smile on her face while her husband teared up a little.</p><p>"Excuse me while I go burn a hole in the ground," Lysithea muttered, and Claude held her back.</p><p>"Aw, come on, Lys, that was a sweet little episode."</p><p>"You don't understand, they get like that every time they tell that story," she said, pointing at her mother lovingly wiping her father's tears away. "and they tell it way too often! I've memorized it nearly word for word! If they're going to act like a couple right out of some corny romance novel, they could at least vary the contents a little bit, no?"</p><p>He considered that point for a moment. </p><p>"Was there a particular reason as to why you didn't tell her any other stories about you two, sir, ma'am?"</p><p>Yves nodded and carefully replied, "We didn't want to mentally scar her..."</p><p>"?"</p><p>"Let's just say most of the episodes after that tend to contain sexual content as crucial parts of the plot, and I'm fairly sure that's not something kids want to know about their parents," Ada explained, with a straight face. </p><p>"...Thanks for the consideration," Lysithea said, already looking dead inside. </p><p>He grinned at the sight, amusedly thinking her parents were on another level when it came to embarassing her.</p><p>"Look on the bright side, at least we now know to make memories from family-friendly activities in our spare time, as to not bore our future kids!"</p><p>A blush crept up her face. </p><p>"H-hey now, show some self-control...!"</p><p>"What? I didn't say anything inappropriate! Unless...you interpreted "family-friendly" in the complete opposite way?"</p><p>"Claude!!!"</p><p>As she (lightly) pounded on his chests with her small fists, he could see her parents glancing at each other, then at him. </p><p>"Please take good care of our daughter," Yves mouthed, while Ada gave a thumbs up. </p><p>He nodded, then kissed the top of her head, which made her give a little 'hmph' before hugging him and nuzzling into his chest. </p><p>A couple right out of some corny romance novel, she called her parents. </p><p>He decided that wasn't a bad descriptor to have for themselves, too. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Fic of Theseus: how much components of a fanfic can you replace with what's basically original shit before it's not a fanfic anymore? That's what I aspire to find out by making up unnecessarily elaborate details about these two's family members. </p><p>Anyway, happy early Valentine's Day. Hopefully I'll write the second chapter soon (which will be about Claude's parents), and then the third chapter will be a collection of tiny miscellaneous snippets of their interaction with family (will include some angst). </p><p>Some notes on Lysithea's parents:<br/>-Ada is older than Yves, and has a rather similar personality as Lysithea, but more aloof<br/>-Yves was indeed scared of Ada at first, but he was also a precocious child with hopeless romantic tendencies and grew smitten with her by the time he was 10<br/>-The process of naming them was something like: Evenus was Lysithea's father in Greek myth -&gt; Eve -&gt; Adam and Eve?? (suddenly Biblical) -&gt; Ada and Yves<br/>-Ada would be a swordmaster and Yves would be a warlock (with mostly lightning spells) if they were playable units<br/>-Yves has a high Charm stat, Ada doesn't<br/>-Ada would have decent growths on magic despite the fact she can't use spells by default, and she would have Budding Talent for either Reason or Faith</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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